Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;Zanmusunbur&#39;

ABSTRACT

A  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Zanmusunbur’ characterized by its small sized semi-double blooms with yellow ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date September 10; blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

BOTANICAL DESIGNATION

Chrysanthemum×morifolium Ramat.

CULTIVAR DENOMINATION

‘Zanmusunbur’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofchrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifoliumRamat., commercially grown as a garden mum, and herein after referred toby the cultivar denomination ‘Zanmusunbur’. ‘Zanmusunbur’ is a productof a breeding and selection program for outdoor pot mums (garden mums)which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with asemi-double type flower, a natural season flower date around September10 (week 37); blooming for a period of 5 weeks. ‘Zanmusunbur’ is aseedling resulting from a crossing program, set up by a previousbreeder, and which records are unknown to the inventor. The new anddistinct cultivar was discovered and selected as a flowering plant byWilhelmus Bernardus Blom on a cultivated field in Rijsenhout, TheNetherlands in 2003. The first act of asexual production of‘Zanmusunbur’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings from the initialselection in 2003 were propagated further in a controlled environment inRijsenhout, The Netherlands. The new cultivar has been found to retainits distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum isshown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true aspossible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the various stages of foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown outdoor in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands under natural day length andtemperature and planted in week 25 in 2007. The natural blooming date ofthis crop was September 10 (week 37) . The average height of the plantswas 25 cm. No growth retardants were used. No tests were done on diseaseor insect resistance or susceptibility. No tests were done on cold ordrought tolerance. This new variety produces small sized blooms withyellow ray florets blooming for a period of 5 weeks.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivarin comparison to ‘Zanmusunbur’ is ‘Florina’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No.16,672). When ‘Florina’ and ‘Zanmusunbur’ are being compared thefollowing difference is noticed: The differences of ‘Florina’ and‘Zanmusunbur’ are (1) Number of ray-florets and (2) Length ray-florets(1) The number of ray-florets is higher in ‘Zanmusunbur’ than in‘Florina’. (2) The ray-florets of ‘Zanmusunbur’ are longer than those of‘Florina’.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics thatdistinguish ‘Zanmusunbur’ as a new and distinct variety.

The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, anydiscrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted inthe photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart usedin this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,edition 2001.

TABLE 1 Botanical description of chrysanthemum plant named ‘Zanmusunbur’Bud Size Small; cross-section 0.3 cm, height 0.5 cm Outside Color Green143C Phyllaries 2 rows Phyllaries among disc-florets Not present BloomType Semi-double Height 1 cm Size 3 cm Phyllary number 25-28 Phyllaiycolor (upper surface) Green 138A Phyllary length and width length 7 mm,width 3 mm Peduncle length 7-8 cm Peduncle color Green 138B Number ofblooms per branch Approx. 5 blooms per branch Duration of flowering 5weeks Seeds Produced in small quantities, ovate grey-brown 199A, 1½mm inlength. Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum, slightly Color Center of theflower (disc f1orets) Immature stage: Yellow-green 144C Mature stage:Yellow-orange 16B Color of upper surface of the ray- Yellow 7A floretsColor of the lower surface of the Yellow 8A ray-florets Tonality fromDistance A garden mum with yellow flowers Color of the ray-florets afteraging Yellow 7B of the plant Ray florets Texture Upper and under sidesmooth Number 68-72 Cross-section Flat Longitudinal axis of majorityStraight Length of corolla tube 0.4 cm Ray-floret margin EntireRay-floret length 2-2.2 cm Ray-floret width 0.5-0.6 cm Ratiolength/width Medium Shape of tip Dentate Disc florets Disc diameter 1 cmDistribution of disc florets Numerous, clearly visible in all stagesNumber 50-60 Size Ca. 5 mm (length) and 1 mm (diameter) Shape TubularColor Yellow-green 144C (upper part); Yellow 11D at base Receptacleshape Conical raised Reproductive Organs Stamen Present in disc floretsonly Number of stamen per disc floret Ca. 5 Stamen color Yellow-green144A Pollen Present Pollen color Yellow 7A Pistil Present in both ray-and disc florets Pistil number One per floret Style color Yellow 13AStyle Length 4 mm Stigma color Yellow-green 144A Stigma Width 1 mmOvaries Enclosed in calyx Plant Form Grown as a spray type potmum,outdoor mounded and round Growth habit Spherical shape Growth rate LowHeight 25-30 cm Width 35-40 cm Stem Color Greyed-brown 199C StemStrength Strong Stem Brittleness Not brittle Stem Anthocyanin ColorationAbsent Internode length 0.5-0.75 cm Length of lateral branch From top tobottom 12 cm Lateral branch color Green 137C Lateral branch, attachmentMedium strength Branching (average number of Good with 7-8 breaks afterpinching lateral branches) Natural season blooming date September 10(week 37) Foliage Leaf color Upper side: Green 137A Lower side: Green139C Color midvein Upper side: Yellow-green 147D Lower side:Yellow-green 148D Size Small.; length 4-4.5 cm, width 2.5-3.5 cm 2.5-3.5cm Quantity (number per lateral 14-16 branch) Shape Ovate Texture upperside Glabrous Texture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement PalmateShape of the margin Serrated Shape of Base of Sinus Between RoundedLateral Lobes Margin of Sinus Between Lateral Diverging Lobes Shape ofBase Obtuse-rounded Apex Mucronulate Petiole length 0.5-1 cm Petiolecolor Yellow-green 147D

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison variety ‘Zanmusunbur’ ‘Florina’Number ray-florets 68-72 40 Length ray-florets  2-2.2 cm  1.5 cm

1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described andillustrated.